The present invention relates to a device for packaging fasteners, and in particular, to a device to be worn by a user for packaging and dispensing fasteners.
Steel metal ducts are used in the heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (“HVAC”) industry. Adjacent sections of the metal ducts are typically connected to each other by hex-head, self-tapping screws with integral washers, e.g., “tech screws”. In the HVAC industry, the task of connecting adjacent sections of a sheet metal duct normally occurs on lifts and in confined spaces.
A typical HVAC insulation will require an HVAC worker to insert anywhere from two to ten screws per duct joint. The conventional method used by the HVAC worker involves the use of a screwdriver or drill with a magnetic hex socket and an apron full of tech screws. The HVAC worker removes an individual tech screw from his apron and then, by hand, places the screw into the hex socket followed by screwing the tech screw through the sections of the sheet metal duct. This screw installation process is complicated by gloves which are traditionally worn by the HVAC worker. It is estimated that about 30% of the tech screws intended to be inserted into the sheet metal duct sections are dropped and/or lost by the HVAC worker as he or she attempts to hand place the tech screws into the hex socket.
One disadvantage with the present method of inserting a tech screw into adjacent sections of sheet metal duct is that the method is laborious, slow and costly. Accordingly, there is a need in the HVAC industry, and other similar industries, for a lightweight, portable system that will increase the productivity of workers and decrease the costs associated with the time consuming manual insertion of tech screws into the hex socket and the cost associated with lost screws.
Screw guns with feeding and locating fasteners for insertion into a workpiece are generally known in the art. However, the conventional designs are not practical for HVAC employment as these designs are overly complex and therefore costly. Further, these conventional screw guns tend to be bulky and not easy to use, especially when working in confined spaces such as those associated with HVAC installations.
For example, known power operated devices for feeding and locating fasteners, like those disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,489 to Young et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,015,127 to Hockman, require that a fastener driver be connected to an air supply to power the device and to a hopper or the like in order to continuously feed the driver with fasteners. Such devices limit their application because of their lack of mobility and unwieldiness. Accordingly, such devices are not practical for use in confined spaces, such as when working on a scaffolding or a lift. Similar devices for feeding and locating fasteners have strips which carry the screws and are swingedly suspended from the device, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,910,324 to Nasiatka and U.S. Pat. No. 4,581,964 to Takatsuru. These devices are also not practical for use in confined spaces because of the added weight and awkwardness associated with the devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,936,169 to Parsons discloses a portable device for positioning and inserting fasteners wherein an applicator is positioned adjacent to a positioning mechanism containing a rotatable cylinder which includes a plurality of chambers for housing fasteners. However, the Parsons device has a number of drawbacks including that it is bulky, the operator is required to align a screw with the applicator by hand before he can insert a second screw into a workpiece, and the screw is not readily visible prior to insertion.
My copending application Ser. No. 09/877,036 filed Jun. 11, 2001 discloses an improved screw gun for inserting fasteners, including tech screws. The disclosed screw gun and method provides a substantial improvement over the prior art. However, if this device is not used, there remains a need in the industry for a device for carrying fasteners.
Additionally, the prior art also generally discloses various devices for holding screws on other objects including U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,012,615; 3,321,074; 3,342,327; 3,718,252; 3,885,669; 4,019,631; 4,027,417; 4,151,912; 4,930,630; 4,955,476; 5,509,728; 5,522,687; and 5,578,760. However, these devices have certain drawbacks and/or are not applicable to the present invention.